After spending years shooting music and concert gigs, photographer Karen Jerzyk found herself capturing portraits in 2009. Without sufficient funds to execute studio work, she decided to get creative and use derelict locations as her sets.

In 2011, Jerzyk’s father passed away unexpectedly. The loss, which took a huge toll on the photographer, ultimately influenced her life and art. She began using her craft as a means of coping with her feelings and an outlet to express herself.

She explains, “The bittersweet thing is, the death of my father was the birth of my photography career. Suddenly, my photos displayed emotion. They displayed stories and purpose and a sense of beautiful dismay, which was a direct mirror of how I felt on the inside. I poured all of my feelings and struggles into my work. I learned how to control how I felt and funnel it all into my ideas. I finally learned how to make the connection between imagery and emotion, and for once in my life I was satisfied and proud with what I was creating.”

Jerzyk’s struggles and experiences have culminated into the photo series ‘Last Days of Earth’–a collection of dark visuals that some have said are reminiscent of The Shining, Pan’s Labyrinth, Stephen King, and Tim Burton.